Top US spy resigns

Washington, Jan 28 (Xinhua) US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Michael McConnell has resigned, his office said Tuesday. Ronald Burgess, the third-in-command in McConnell’s office, will be the acting DNI until Dennis Blair, who was picked by President Barack Obama to succeed McConnell, takes office, Spokesman Ross Feinstein said.

Meanwhile, defence consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton announced that McConnell would return to the company as a vice president. He left the firm in February 2006 to become the nation’s second DNI.

McConnell had been expected to remain, but Obama nominated Blair earlier this month to replace him.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to approve Blair’s resignation as early as Wednesday.

The position of DNI was created in late 2004 by former Bush administration to coordinate the works of all US intelligence organisations, in an effort to improve intelligence gathering after the 9/11 terror attacks in the country.